There Can Only Be One
by Amavi
Summary: At the end of the game, there is a moment shared between Luke and his original as things draw to a close... a final understanding is reached in those few seconds, and Luke finds his reason to go on.


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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tales of the Abyss or its characters, because they belong entirely to Namco.

**Warning:** This short little thing is a MASSIVE SPOILER. So if you have not COMPLETELY FINISHED THE GAME and if you have not seen the ENDING CREDITS then please don't ruin it for yourself. =)

I just keep thinking about how things turned out in the end, and I wanted to put it into words... so here we go.

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There Can Only Be One

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He was bleeding, standing in disbelief at the color of his hands, looking up at the bright ghostly ceiling and trying in vain to think of a way to survive his mortal wounds— all the while he just kept bleeding. Stabbed three times, and he was still conscious enough to see his life paint the world in its wake. Red hair, red paint; fury of crimson spattered the silken white floor as he dragged in another breath, and hate of the deepest scarlet dripped slowly from his heart like there was all the time in the world. It hurt to stand, it hurt to breathe, it hurt to exist and yet, it hurt even more just knowing he was beaten. There was nothing left for him here- the replica had won, in everything. In this world of glazed white walls, he would surrender the only advantage he had ever held… the black clothes which swathed him in honor sank to the ground with his body, bloodied, torn, destroyed, defeated, as he concentrated all his strength in one final stream outward.

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Luke received the word in a whispery message; like a sigh of relief it washed up in the shore of their shared existence, and he knew. Closing his eyes, he trembled as he felt the pain of those seven years his brother spent in darkness— as the memories and essence of his original eased their way into his heart, he finally began to understand why sharing an existence was impossible… he smiled and nodded his head slightly, understanding at last. This was the way it had to be, only one flame could torch out the last villain, only one Luke could free Lorelei from the tendrils of captivity, of slavery to one man's ideas and wrongdoings. He embraced these last feelings from his brother, his only memento, willing all the dark thoughts to be free inside his mind. There was a single tear glinting on his cheek as the group walked on ahead; it shimmered in the sun's rays as the wind ruffled his short red hair, and Luke was refreshed as he felt the warmth of his other self merge with the glowing colors of his heart.

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_It is so easy to forget… that we were both real. But where I grew tired, you never gave up. That's why you beat me, in the end. I lost my place as Luke, and you were never me, and I… I have to remember that I was never you. _

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We failed as replacements for one another- we were each unique. We were both… people… so why did you have to go? This feels wrong, and I… I still think we could have fought this battle against our teacher, together…

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_You dreck, it's too late for that now. Go ahead and fight him. You'll win._

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I know. I'll join you soon…

_._

_Don't think like that. I don't want you near me, just fi-_

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I know. I _know_…

_._

_Yeah, I know you'll make it just fine. You've surprised me… for all our disagreements, and all our differences… I have to say you turned out alright… for a replica…_

…

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Guy put a hand on Luke's shoulder, and the red-haired teen looked up suddenly. Everyone had gathered around him, and he realized that he had probably fallen behind- he had stopped walking.

"Luke, what's wrong?" Guy's eyes stared deeply, curiously, asking the one question Luke didn't want to answer. He didn't want to believe it or even acknowledge it, but Guy and everyone else had a right to know.

"Asch… Asch is… he… he died."

Luke wiped the tear from his cheek, barely able to stand anymore. This was just wrong. His original shouldn't have died from something like that… why hadn't he called out for help? Why hadn't anyone gone back to help him? Why… why was it suddenly so lonely inside his own mind?

A breeze swept around them, ruffling Luke's hair as it blew specks of pollen from the newly born flowers, and they swirled high into the air leaving shadows in the light from the sun. Asch wasn't going to come back, it was final as soon as the words had left his mouth. Natalia was crying; she knew it too. Luke didn't feel much of anything though, and he knew there was still something he needed to do- something Asch was counting on him for. He closed his eyes and wiped the last of his fears into oblivion. This time, he would make Asch proud.


End file.
